Cubs' Farm System Ranks No. 12 Before 2023 MLB Season

MLB Pipeline ranked all 30 farm systems ahead of the 2023 MLB season and the Cubs came in at No. 12 in the preseason poll.

Opening Day is one week away and all the preseason pleasantries are coming set ahead of the 2023 MLB season. Among those pleasantries, MLB Pipeline is finalizing all preseason rankings. They started by ranking the top 100 prospects, then it was the top 30 by organization, and now they have ranked all 30 farms in totality. According to MLB Pipeline, the Chicago Cubs have the No. 12 farm system in baseball entering the season. 

Ahead of the Cubs are the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals, and New York Mets. Interestingly enough, the Cubs' front office is built with those teams' DNA after Dan Kantrovitz and Carter Hawkins made their ways to the Windy City from the likes of St. Louis and Cleveland, respectively. 

Intriguingly enough, the Cubs have actually dropped since their midseason ranking. The team was rated No. 10 by MLB Pipeline in the middle of 2022, an eight-spot improvement over their 2022 preseason position. However, a setback in rating is likely due to the bolstering of farms ahead of them rather than worsening quality in the Cubs' system. 

Entering 2023, the Cubs have three top 100 prospects. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kevin Alcantara, and Brennen Davis represent the Cubs among the game's best. Despite being top heavy with outfielders, Jim Callis said some intriguing notes about the Cubs' farm. 

"All three of the Cubs' Top 100 Prospects are outfielders, but the greatest strength of the system may be its pitching depth", said Callis. "Adding Cade Horton and Jackson Ferris via the Draft and Hayden Wesneski and Ben Brown via trades last summer may yield 80 percent of Chicago's future rotation. International shortstops Cristian Hernandez and Derniche Valdez have two of the highest ceilings among Cubs farmhands but will need time to develop."

As noted by Jim Callis, the Cubs have the big shortstops in Cristian Hernandez and Derniche Valdez coming, but they're years away. As of today, the Cubs' pitching depth is better than it has been in the last 20+ years. Currently, it appears Hayden Wesneski will be the Cubs' fifth starter to begin the season, and they have a number of arms such as Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks, and a few others who might make their first career appearances at the top level in 2023. When was the last time the Cubs had top prospects on their way that fans were excited about... and they were pitchers?

Despite where the system lies in the rankings at the moment, there is a good chance this farm system rises up the ranks by midseason. With Cade Horton and Jackson Ferris, who have yet to pitch in the minors, likely set to generate buzz in 2023, the system should gain momentum. 

In addition, a healthy Brennen Davis and Ed Howard, steps forward from other rising prospects, and some inevitable unknowns rising through the ranks, will give this farm system a good shot of being in the top 10 once again. Naturally, a lot of "what-ifs" need to go in the Cubs' favor, but assuming they do, this farm system will gain more respect from the national media as time persists.